Artificial insemination device for pigs

ABSTRACT

The device is equipped with the classical catheter ( 1 ) finishing in its front end in a tip ( 2 ) for attachment to the neck of the uterus, which is prolonged by a cannula ( 3 ) of smaller diameter. The device has said cannula ( 3 ) closed by means of an elongated lid ( 4 ′), with a rounded face, with a perimeter depression and concave curve ( 8 ) at the middle level, where orifices are established ( 5 ′) as an outlet for the semen, specifically two orifices in diametric opposition, whose positioning is such that they are level with the uterine horns of the pig to be inseminated, by the introduction of the catheter ( 1 ), which is defined by a mark ( 11 ) in the cannula ( 3 ) or in a connector ( 12 ), which optimises the conditions of insemination allowing a lower semen consumption. In addition, the rear end of the lid ( 4 ′) has a diameter after the cannula ( 3 ), to protect the edge of the free end from the latter, avoiding damage to the mucus of the female to be inseminated. In order to facilitate the process of application and to avoid contamination of the distal part of the cannula, this is presented divided into two portions that can be coupled together, the furthest away being introduced and therefore protected within the catheter ( 1 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a national application based upon International Application No.PCT/ES00/00499, which was filed on Dec. 29, 2000 and which published inSpanish on Jul. 12, 2001, which in turn claims priority from SpanishApplication No. U 200000004, which was filed on Jan. 3, 2001, andSpanish Application No. P200002360 filed on Sep. 29, 2000.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device that is to constitute themeans for transmission of a dose of semen from a recipient container tothe uterus of a female pig, for the post-cervical artificialinsemination thereof.

The object of the invention is to achieve a device with some optimumfeatures, that not only facilitates the anatomic implantation thereof inthe pig, prior to the insemination itself, but also determines someoptimum results in said insemination, with a minimal consumption ofsemen, or what constitutes an optimum use of the sperm introduced bymeans of the device and the deposition in the uterine horn of the femalepig herself, by means of outlets with which for such purposes theexpulsion end of the device has been equipped.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The application of the seminal dose in pigs on heat is performednormally by the vaginal route, using an instrument known as a catheter,this being made from a tubular implement, although it can presentdifferent forms. In all cases, it serves to reach the neck of the uterusand attach itself in the first 3-4 centimetres, as a nut does on a bolt,allowing the seminal dose to be applied through it, which has to passthrough the rest of the uterine neck, approximately another 15centimetres, before reaching the neck of the uterus.

There are currently different types of catheter that range from theclassical reusable “Melrose” type made form a single rubber or similarpiece that is very similar to the penis of the male pig, to an almostendless list of disposable plastic catheters.

These latter are generally formed of three pieces that correspond to thehandle, the rod and the end or tip, such that the handle, not present inall catheters, is a piece of small dimensions that allows the catheterto be handled with ease and, for those that possess it, the cannula fromthe seminal container to be attached to the catheter.

The rod or body of the catheter is a tube approximately 50 centimetreslong that acts as a conduct for the seminal liquid. The diameter of thistube is variable, although its outer diameter never exceeds 10millimetres.

The point, as the main element of the catheter, is a piece of variablesize and form which in any case allows the introduction and attachmentto the neck of the uterus. They can take on cylindrical form (lid), madeof foam and of a size near to 2 centimetres, and they can be conical,made of different types of plastic and with very variable sizes butwhich are usually between 3 and 8 centimetres. Attachment to the neck ofthe uterus is facilitated in some cases thanks to the helical form ofthe cone and in other cases thanks to the existence of rings orsupplementary laminas that increase the degree of coupling between thecatheter and the irregularities of the cervical wall.

In the French patent FR 8419723 a solution for a catheter is described,in which the terminal cannula does not emerge axially from the tip ofthe catheter, but rather does so laterally, such that said cannula,because of its inclined arrangement, impinges the wall of the uterineneck, which may produce scratching, and also makes handling difficultand uncomfortable.

In addition, in this Patent FR 8419723, it is specified that the cannulashould have at least one lateral aperture, which suggests that thenumber of outlets is not determinant or important, inasmuch as in saidPatent, the only thing that is foreseen is that the semen is introducedinto the uterine neck, but with any orientation of outlet or outlets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The artificial insemination device that is put forward is characterisedin that inside the catheter a cannula is placed axially through which itis possible to achieve a post-cervical insemination, by lengthening thelength of the insemination conduct beyond the uterine neck, depositingthe semen in the uterine horns.

The new artificial insemination device consists of a standard catheterconsisting of a tube or rod of flexible material and of a certainlength, that has at its front end a standard tip, preferablycylindrical, with a widening spiral for attachment to the uterine neck.The back end of the catheter has a handle or a widening suitable forhandling. The elements of the new invention consist of a hollow cannulasuitable for post-cervical insemination. For this, the cannula ishollow, preferably of cylindrical form, whose outer diameter isparticularly suitable to be introduced and housed, fitting tightly butallowing movement, inside the catheter. The cannula is obviously longerthan the catheter, and is equipped at its rear end with a couplingdevice to allow bottles or tubes containing the semen to be introducedor the containers that contain it, directly if it is possible or with anintermediate adaptor. The front end of the cannula finishes in sphere orsolid bead which closes it. A few centimetres from this sphere, thecannula's cross-section narrows gently, with two laterally oppositeorifices to be found in said narrowing for expulsion of the semen.

In its use and functionality, in addition to the trans-cervical cannula,the insemination catheter requires a gynaecological lubricant, the wayto proceed being as follows:

The vulva of the pig is cleaned carefully and the catheter is preparedto be introduced. Sufficient quantity of gynaecological gel should beapplied to the tip of the catheter on the outside and inside of theoutlet. Next, it is placed in position conventionally until the tip ofthe catheter is fixed to the uterine neck, attached to the first 3 or 4centimetres, as is the case in traditional artificial insemination.Next, the trans-cervical cannula is introduced through the rear end ofthe catheter until coming into contact with the cervical rings. Duringthis operation, the cannula impulses the gynaecological gel towards theinside of the neck of the uterus, activating the terminal ball of pistonor plunger. This action is very important as, in this way, thegynaecological gel is deposited deep in the neck of the uterus tosubsequently facilitate the advance of the cannula along its length tothe body of the uterus. This is necessary as, in this fashion, as thecannula continues to be propelled through the catheter it ends upemerging on the outlet of the tip. Once the cannula emerges through thepoint of the catheter, the cannula is still pushed. The front end of thecannula, which has emerged through the point of the catheter, passesthrough the cervical rings until reaching the neck of the uterus. Thisadvance of the front end of the cannula through the uterine neck isfacilitated by the existence of the gynaecological gel previouslyimpelled and the rounded form of the end of the cannula, thus avoidingpossible damage or erosions in the mucus of the uterine neck. Thisadditional distance advanced by the end of the cannula makes a betterfertilisation possible. Next, the container with the seminal material isplaced over the rear outlet of the cannula and the inseminationperformed. Once the seminal dose has been applied, the cannula ispartially retracted. The set of the cannula and the catheter are thenremoved in conventional fashion.

The new invention confers important advantages, as it allowstrans-cervical insemination with the semen deposited directly into thebody of the uterus, instead of in the start of the uterine neck, asoccurs conventionally, which requires that the sperm travelapproximately 10 to 15 centimetres naturally until reaching the uterinebody. The second advantageous point is the use made of the semenemployed, as in the traditional procedure part of the semen deposited inthe cervix may turn back, and be discharged from the vagina andtherefore not used. According to the invention, the dose of semen to beused can be reduced, achieving an equally satisfactory use, with betteryield of the sperm and genetic material used from the breeding malepigs.

The trans-cervical cannula is suitable for use in conjunction with anystandard catheter or catheter already in existence, provided it hassufficient diameter and length in accordance with the needs, with theindispensable requirement that the tip of the catheter is openedfrontally, in order that the cannula may emerge easily.

In an alternative form of embodiment, the lid of the cannula, instead ofadopting a spherical configuration, adopts a lengthened configurationwith a rounded end, with a perimeter groove and means in which theoutlet orifices are precisely established, in twos and diametricallyopposed. Said cannula, which will measure not less than 60 centimetresand not more than 75 centimetres, has in its end flow a connector bywhich the fastening connector will be attached to the seminal container.

In accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, therear end of said lid, basically of the screw type, is of larger diameterthan the cannula to which it is attached, in order to totally cover theedge corresponding to the border or end of the latter, thus avoidinglesions due to friction with the uterine wall of the pig.

In accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, ithas been foreseen that said lid has specifically two outlet orifices,diametrically opposed to one another and which complementarily theconnector or the cannula itself, for its entirety or part of its length,incorporates a signal that allows said orifices to be duly aligned inthe uterus of the pig, specifically to bring them face to face with therespective uterine horns, which allows a considerable reduction in theseminal dose necessary to obtain satisfactory results from theinsemination.

On the other hand, and from the point of view of maintaining the devicesterile during the manipulation thereof, it has been foreseen that it ismarketed in such a fashion that the front end of the cannula and thusalso the end lid, are housed inside the helical tip, in order to keepthem perfectly protected and so it is not necessary to perform anymanipulation on them to thread the cannula through the inside of thetube or catheter.

To ensure that it is positioned in a stable fashion, it has in turn beenforeseen that said tip has its front end closed, in order to avoid theaccidental emergence of the cannula, and affected by at least onediametric cut to all its deformation and corresponding opening onapplying axial pressure of an appropriate magnitude on the cannula.

This implies a greater emergence of the cannula at its other, rear, end;having anticipated for this and to make packaging easier, that saidcannula can be fragmented into two sectors, that can be duly coupled atthe moment of use of the equipment, one of them equipped to this effectwith an inner casing coupled by pressure thereon and emerging to becoupled in analogous fashion to the other sector, with a suitablepressure to prevent accidental rotation of a sector with respect to theother from occurring and, as a result, the loss of marking fororientation of the front lid.

In this sense, it is also foreseen that either the two sectors of thecannula are related through a markedly Inclined plane that determines asingle position relative to each other, which in substitution arerelated by an angular cut, with the same end, or by any other means thatallows the relative position between the two sectors to be maintained.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to complete the description that is being carried out here andin order to facilitate a better understanding of the characteristics ofthe invention, in accordance with an example of a preferred practicalembodiment thereof, said description is accompanied as an integral partthereof by a set of drawings in which, for illustrative purposes and innon-limiting fashion, the following has been represented:

FIG. 1.—Shows a longitudinal section of the device performed inaccordance with the objective of the invention, in which the cannula andthe corresponding catheter can be clearly seen.

FIG. 2.—Shows detail in perspective and notably amplified of the frontend of the cannula.

FIG. 3.—Shows a representation of the side elevation of the artificialinsemination device according to an alternative or variant of theembodiment with respect to that show in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4.—Shows amplified detail in perspective of the front lid in whichthe prolongation of the tip of the catheter finishes, corresponding tothe embodiment of the previous figure.

FIG. 5.—Shows partial detail, amplified and in transversal section, ofthe front end of the helical tip, in an inoperative situation for thedevice, in which the end front of the cannula is housed inside said tip.

FIG. 6.—Shows, finally, two of the possible practical embodiments forcoupling the two sectors of the cannula, according to respective sideprojection views and corresponding to the variant of embodimentrepresented in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, thepost-cervical artificial insemination device for pigs comprises acatheter (1) consisting of a hollow tubular and flexible body, at one ofwhose ends there is a tip or front widening (2), preferably of conicalform and determinant for a tip that can adopt a helical configuration orany other that improves attachment of the catheter to the neck of theuterus. Inside the tubular body (1) constituting the catheter there is acannula (3), also tubular, the diameter of which is similar to theinterior diameter of the body (1) of the catheter, the length of saidcannula (3) being slightly longer than the length of the catheter thatforms the tubular body (1) itself, the helical end (2) and a rear handle(7) equipped at the opposite end, a handle that is cylindrical , or withany other suitable configuration, determining a piece of smalldimensions for its attachment. The front end of the cannula (3) finishesin a sphere (4) acting as a lid, the diameter of which is approximatelyequal to that of the cannula itself (3) or slightly greater, such thatat short distance from said sphere (4) the cannula (3) has a curved andgentle narrowing of diameter, two orifices (5) being found in the zoneof minimum diameter, diametrically opposed to one another, that connectthe inside of the cannula (3) with the outside.

The opposite end of the cannula (3) has an outlet (6) to which can becoupled a container containing the semen and adaptor for use.

In an alternative embodiment represented in FIGS. 3 to 6, it can be seenthat the lid which the cannula finishes as, referenced in this case with(4′), has a slightly elongated configuration, being of screw type andpresenting a perimeter groove and concave curve (8) in its mid zone,such that in this groove (8) are established two side orifices (5′),diametrically opposed to one another, that allow outflow of the semen,this lid (4′) being prolonged into a subsequent neck (9) for insertionof the end of the cannula (3), with the particular characteristic that astep (10) defined between the lid itself (4′) and the neck (9) is suchthat that the subsequent diameter of said lid is greater than thediameter of the cannula (3), as shown specifically in FIG. 4, all thiswith the aim of appropriately protecting the edge corresponding to thefree end of the cannula (3) and avoiding harmful actions of said edge onthe mucus of the pig.

With the specific number and arrangement of the orifices (5′) for theoutflow of semen, collaborates a mark (11) established in the connector(12) or in all the part of the length of the cannula (3), as is observedin FIG. 3, allowing the inseminator to perfectly orient theaforementioned orifices (5′) towards the uterine horns, whenintroduction of the catheter (1) has been completed, as when said mark(11) is perfectly oriented upwards, it is certain that the orifices (5′)are oriented laterally.

All these structural characteristics of the catheter ensure that,compared to the classical seminal dosing in which the order of threethousand million spermatozoids are needed, with the catheter of theinvention, a doses of just five hundred million spermatozoids will benecessary, or even less, but with some optimum results of theinsemination guaranteed.

During commercial distribution of the device and to appropriatelyprotect both the lid and the frontal or back zone of the cannula frommanipulations that might give rise to contamination during such amanipulation, it has been foreseen that, as is represented in FIG. 5,the cannula (3), axially movable both within the rod or tubular body (1)of the catheter and of the helical tip (2), is housed inside the latter,in addition to being appropriately stabilised, to which effect thefrontal end of said tip (2) is initially closed and equipped with atleast a diametric cut or an opening (13) that, when axial pressure of anappropriate magnitude is exerted with the cannula (3), once the tip hasbeen introduced into the neck of the uterus of the pig, allows thedeformation and subsequent opening for emergence of the cannula (3) withits lid (4′).

On the other hand, and given the considerable length of the cannula (3),it has been foreseen that to facilitate the handling at the time ofapplication, the cannula (3) can be fragmented into two sectors, as isindicated in FIG. 6, setting both sectors (3-3′) to each other by meansof an inner casing (14), of considerable length, one of whose two halvesis coupled by pressure to one of the sectors (3), while the other halfcan be plugged, also by applying pressure, into the second sector (3′),which allows easy assembly of the two sectors of the cannula (3) at themoment when the device is used.

In order that this bipartite character of the cannula (3) does notinfluence the aforementioned marking (11), which can be established onthe connector itself (12) for the semen container or be located over theside wall of the cannula itself, without this needing to affect the twosectors thereof, said sectors (3-3′) can be connected to each other bymeans of a bevel (15) as shown in the broken line in the detail on theright of FIG. 6, or by means of a cut at an angle (16) also representedby a broken line on the left drawing of this FIG. 6, within anotherbroad range of possibilities to this effect, in order to establish inany case a relative predetermined position for assembly of the twosectors (3-3′).

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for artificial insemination of pigscomprising: a catheter having a front end and a rear end, the cathetercomprising a tubular elongated flexible element; a widening tip at thefront end of the catheter, the widening tip being helical with respectto a side surface thereof; a tubular element at the rear end of thecatheter, the tubular element of larger diameter than the catheter andhaving a handle for support; and a cannula within the tubular elongatedflexible element of the catheter, the cannula being capable of beinglongitudinally fixed to the inside of the tubular elongated flexibleelement of the catheter with a tight fit, the cannula being capable ofemerging through a first outlet that serves as the rear end of thecatheter, the cannula having a front end in the shape of a sphere orrounded point, the diameter of which is approximately equal to orslightly greater than the diameter of the cannula and approximatelyequal to or less than the diameter of the inside of the tubularelongated flexible element of the catheter, the sphere or rounded pointacting as a lid for closing the front end of the cannula and beingsuitable for movement along the length of the uterine neck of the piguntil the uterine horns without eroding or damaging the mucus of thepig, wherein, at a short distance away from the lid there is a gentlenarrowing of the diameter of the cannula, forming a depression in whichthere are two lateral orifices that connect the inside of the cannulawith the outside, equipped for depositing semen into the body of theuterus of the pig to be inseminated.
 2. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising a second outlet suitable for receiving tubes containing semenat a rear end of the cannula, the semen being stored directly or by anintermediate adaptor, wherein, the length of the cannula is longer thanthe combined length of the tubular elongated flexible element of thecatheter, the widening tip, and the handle, the length of the cannula issufficient so that the cannula when introduced to a maximum extension inthe pig is suitable for reaching the uterine body of the pig, and thelid is suitable for adjusting the inner diameter of the tubularelongated flexible element of the catheter, the sphere or rounded pointserving as a lid being able to push a gynecological gel depositedpreviously in side the widening tip of the catheter to the uterine neckduring the process of in semination.
 3. The device of claim 2, whereinthe dimensions of the cannula permit its use with any standard tubularcatheter equipped with a frontal outlet orifice at the front end of thecatheter, the cannula being able to present a front section thereofaffected by a frontal or lateral aperture.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the dimensions of the cannula permit its use with any standardtubular catheter equipped with a frontal outlet orifice at the front endof the catheter, the cannula being able to present a front sectionthereof affected by a frontal or lateral aperture.
 5. A device forartificial insemination of pigs comprising: a catheter having a frontend and a rear end, the catheter including a tubular elongated flexibleelement; an widening tip at the front end of the catheter, the wideningtip being helical with respect to a side surface thereof; a tubularelement at the rear end of the catheter, the tubular element of largerdiameter than the catheter and having a handle for support; and acannula within the tubular elongated flexible element of the catheter,the cannula being capable of being longitudinally fixed to the inside ofthe tubular elongated flexible element of the catheter with a tight fit,the cannula being capable of emerging through a first outlet that servesas the rear end of the catheter, the cannula having a front end in theshape of a sphere or rounded point, the diameter of which isapproximately equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of thecannula and approximately equal to or less than the diameter of theinside of the tubular elongated flexible element of the catheter, thesphere or rounded point acting as a lid for closing the front end of thecannula and being suitable for movement along the length of the uterineneck of the pig until the uterine horns without eroding or damaging themucus of the pig, wherein, the lid has a rear end and a middle area, thelid is capable of being materialized in a screw body, the lid beingslightly elongated, the lid having a perimeter depression, the lidhaving a concave curve at the middle area, the lid having outletorifices established for the semen, and the rear end of the lid has adiameter slightly greater than that of the cannula, the rear end beingcoupled by a classical neck, such that the edge corresponding to a frontsection of the cannula is covered and protected by the widening of therear end of the lid.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein, the outletorifices of the lid are two in number and are diametrically opposed toone another, and the handle or the cannula incorporates a signal that,duly related to the position of the two outlet orifices, permits aftercoupling of the catheter that an inseminator can orient the two outletorifices for semen out towards the uterine horns of the pig to beinseminated.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the widening tip has aclosed frontal end and at least one diametric opening or cut, the atleast one diametric opening or cut permitting the opening of the closedfrontal end of the widening tip by deformation, the closed frontal endof the widening tip being capable of maintaining the front end of thecannula with the lid housed inside the widening tip during manipulationof the device and until the widening tip is housed in the neck of theuterus of the pig to be inseminated.
 8. The device of claim 7, whereinthe cannula is fragmented into a first sector and a second sector, thesectors being capable of being coupled with the collaboration of acasing, the casing being coupled under pressure to the first sector, thesectors being connected between each other by a bevel, a “V” cut, oranother manner that determines a relative fixed and pre-establishedposition between the first and second sectors and that maintains a markestablished on the cannula or on a connector operational in which thecannula then finishes.
 9. The device of claim 6, wherein the cannula isfragmented into a first sector and a second sector, the sectors beingcapable of being coupled with the collaboration of a casing, the casingbeing coupled under pressure to the first sector, the sectors beingconnected between each other by a bevel, a “V” cut, or another mannerthat determines a relative fixed and pre-established position betweenthe first and second sectors and that maintains a mark established onthe cannula or on a connector operational in which the cannula thenfinishes.
 10. The device of claim 5, wherein the widening tip has aclosed frontal end and at least one diametric opening or cut, the atleast one diametric opening or cut permitting the opening of the closedfrontal end of the widening tip by deformation, the closed frontal endof the widening tip being capable of maintaining the front end of thecannula with the lid housed inside the widening tip during manipulationof the device and until the widening tip is housed in the neck of theuterus of the pig to be inseminated.
 11. The device of claim 10, whereinthe cannula is fragmented in to a first sector and a second sector, thesectors being capable of being coupled with the collaboration of acasing, the casing being coupled under pressure to the first sector, thesectors being connected between each other by a bevel, a “V” cut, oranother manner that determines a relative fixed and pre-establishedposition between the first and second sectors and that maintains a markestablished on the cannula or on a connector operational in which thecannula then finishes.